Band-breaking tool

ABSTRACT

A metal or plastic band-breaking tool having a band-receiving slot disposed in a plane substantially containing the axis of the handle of the tool and having a plurality of tool head pivoting edges adjacent the band slot for pivotally engaging the banded box or article, is described.

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I /\'VE;\'TOR. ABRAHAM D. NORMAN ATTORNEY BAND-BREAKTNG TOOL The invention relates to a tool designed for breaking metal or plastic strapping bands which encircle boxes, cartons or articles. These bands are usually applied by machines which draw the strap tightly about the container or article, generally of wood but also often made of corrugated paperboard, to hold the container or article from opening or damage during handling and transit. A metal strapping band has its ends normally clenched and secured by a clip which substantially encircles and clinches the lapped ends of the band. Plastic strapping material may also be similarly secured or the lapped ends may be heat-sealed together.

The tool of this invention comprises generally a handle having at least a portion thereof knurled for more positive manual engagement, a head containing a polygonal cross-sectional body portion disposed substantially at right angles to the axis of the handle and secured to the end thereof by welding or other positive means of securement, a tapered frustoconical nose section containing a strapping band receiving longitudinally extending slot at one end, and a nail-removing claw portion at the opposite end of the head body. The band slot is disposed in a plane which substantially contains the axis of the handle or in a plane which is substantially and closely parallel to the axis of the handle, i.e., the slot if desired may be slightly offset with respect to the axis of the handle. The polygonal cross section body of the tool head provides edges normal to the axis of the handle for engaging the surface of the box or container under the strapping band for more positive pivoting control of the tool during its band-breaking function. Because the band slot is disposed substantially in alignment with the tool handle, the tool can be rotated substantially 180 in its band-breaking operation.

A particular advantage in the band-breaking function resides in the disposition of the band slot substantially in alignment with the axis of the tool handle, and in the longitudinally extending edges of the tool head which are disposed normal to the axis of the tool handle and present a plurality of pivoting edges to and upon the surface of the container about which the strapping band is secured.

It is an object of the invention to provide a band-breaking tool having the advantages and features of construction generally described above. Another object of the invention is to provide in such a tool means for engaging a container encircling strapping band and for rotating the tool substantially 180 in its band-breaking function. Yet another object is to provide a plurality of pivoting edges for the tool in its bandbreaking operation, the edges engaging the container or article encircled by the band. Still another object is to provide a relatively inexpensive and functionally advantageous tool for band-breaking purposes.

Various further and more specific objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating by way of example a preferred form of the invention. Reference is here made to the drawing annexed hereto and forming an integral part of this specification, in which FIG. I is a perspective view of the tool embodying the invention disclosed and claimed herein.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view taken substantially toward the band-breaking end of the tool which is shown fragmentarily in a posture approximately at the beginning of its band-breaking rotation and function.

The tool device of this invention comprises generally a manually held tubular handle 12 having a knurled portion 14 and an unknurled portion 16, a pry end portion 18 secured to the knurled end 14 by welding or any other suitable means, and a tool head 20 at the opposite end of the handle secured to the unknurled portion 16 by welding or other suitable means of securement.

The tool head 20 comprises a body portion 22 having a plurality of longitudinally extending flats 24 arranged substantially radially about the axis of the head. Although a hexagonal cross-sectional shaped body portion 22 is illustrated in the drawing, it is to be understood that the body may have one or two more or less flat portions 24. The adjacent flats 24 form longitudinally extending pivoting edges 24 therebetween. The tool head 20 is secured to the handle 12 substantially at right angles to the axis of the handle.

At one end of the tool head body 22 and integrally formed therewith are nail-removing claw lugs 26, 26 having an inwardly tapering slot 28 therebetween for engaging the heads of nails which have been raised by the pry end portion 18 at the knurled end 14 of the handle 12.

At the opposite end of the tool head body 22 and integrally formed therewith is the band-breaking frustoconical nose end portion 30 comprising a pair of fingers 32, 32 disposed on each side of an intermediate substantially medial longitudinally extending slot 34. The nose end portion 30 is substantially rounded in cross section and tapering toward the distal ends 36, 36 of the fingers 32, 32.

The handle portion 16 is preferably secured to the tool head 20 by welding the distal end of the handle portion which is partially inserted into a suitable opening in the head 20, according to conventional practice.

In operation, the tool device 10 is engaged with the strapping band 40 which encircles and tightly secures the container or box 42 by passing the nose end portion 30 upon the band so that the latter enters the slot 34. To effect this engagement, the handle 12 is disposed in a substantially horizontal attitude so that the slot 34 is also substantially horizontal, parallel and in alignment with the band portion 40 disposed upon one side of the box container 42. The nose end portion 30 is forced upon the band until the latter is seated deeply within and adjacent the proximal end of the slot 34 before the handle 12 is raised and rotated vertically about the pivoting edge 25 which engages the box surface below the band portion 40 lying thereovcr. The first engaging edge 25 bites into and firmly engages the box surface as the handle 12 is raised and pivots about such edge, lowering the adjacent flat 24 toward the box surface. The band portion 40 is caught, held, and twisted upon the outer surface of the fingers 32, 32 effecting, as vertical movement of the handle proceeds, a sufficient stress in and elongation of the band to rupture the same. If the band 40 is very ductile, it may take a substantial portion of the 180 allowable movement of the handle before rupture is effected, i.e., more than of rotation. Normally, however, such rupture of the band portion 40 is effected with much less rotation. For bands of usual, conventional and currently available metallic composition, a handle rotation of from approximately 45 to approximately is sufficient to rupture the band.

As rotation proceeds, the tool head body moves from the first pivoting edge 25 to the next adjacent pivoting edge 25 on the other side of the intermediate flat 24, where the second edge 25 engages andbecomes the second pivot line, offset from the handle axis and thus further effecting elongation of the band portion 40 to rupture the same.

The tool 10 is made entirely of steel. The tool head 20 and the pry end portion 18 are made of No. l l 18 grade cold rolled steel, machined or forged to shape. The nose end portion 30 and the claw lugs 26, 26 are cyanide heat treated to a 45-50 Rockwell hardness.

Although a certain particular embodiment of the invention is hereindisclosed for purposes-of explanation, further modifications thereof, after study of this specification, will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Reference should be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

I. A tool for breaking a metallic or plastic band circumscribing a container or article and having a handle and a tool head fixedly secured substantially normal to the axis of said handle and at an end thereof, said tool head comprising a body having a tapered nose end portion at one end thereof,

an intermediate body portion having a polygonal transverse cross-sectional configuration,

dinally extending tool head pivoting edges therebetween,

said edges being substantially parallel to the axis of said tool head,

said tool handle end being secured to said intermediate body portion.

2. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said band slot is adapted to receive, engage and twist said band about said nose end portion in an arc of rotation of up to approximately 1 80.

3. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said band slot is adapted to receive and engage said band in said nose end portion when said handle is disposed substantially parallel with the surface of said container or article which said band overlies.

4 The tool defined in claim 1, wherein each of said pivoting edges progressively engages the surface of said container or article which said band overlies and functions as a pivot line for said tool head in its axial rotation of said nose end portion.

5. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said tapered nose end portion is substantially frustoconical in configuration.

6. The tool defined in claim I, wherein said intermediate body portion is hexagonal in transverse cross-sectional configuration.

7. The tool defined in claim I, wherein each of said pivoting edges is radially disposed about the axis of said tool head.

8. The tool defined in claim 7, wherein each of said pivoting edges is disposed at an angle to the plane of said band slot which is equal to or less than 9. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein the plane of said band slot intersects at right angles the plane of at least one of said exterior planar surfaces.

10. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said tool head is integrally formed of a single piece of steel material. 

1. A tool for breaking a metallic or plastic band circumscribing a container or article and having a handle and a tool head fixedly secured substantially normal to the axis of said handle and at an end thereof, said tool head comprising a body having a tapered nose end portion at one end thereof, an intermediate body portion having a polygonal transverse cross-sectional configuration, and a pair of spaced-apart claw-type lugs, designed for nail head engagement and nail removal from said container or article, at the opposite end thereof, said tapered nose end portion comprising a pair of coextensive parallel aligned fingers spaced apart from each other by a longitudinal planar band-receiving slot extending from the distal ends of said fingers to a line adjacent said intermediate portion, said slot lying in a plane substantially containing the axes of said handle and said tool head, said intermediate body portion having a plurality of adjacent exterior planar surfaces defining intermediate longitudinally extending tool head pivoting edges therebetween, said edges being substantially parallel to the axis of said tool head, said tool handle end being secured to said intermediate body portion.
 2. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said band slot is adapted to receive, engage and twist said band about said nose end portion in an arc of rotation of up to approximately 180*.
 3. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said band slot is adapted to receive and engage said band in said nose end portion when said handle is disposed substantially parallel with the surface of said container or article which said band overlies.
 4. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein each of said pivoting edges progressively engages the surface of said container or article which said band overlies and functions as a pivot line for said tool head in its axial rotation of said nose end portion.
 5. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said tapered nose end portion is substantially frustoconical in configuration.
 6. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said intermediate body portion is hexagonal in transverse cross-sectional configuration.
 7. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein each of said pivoting edges is radially disposed about the axis of said tool head.
 8. The tool defined in claim 7, wherein each of said pivoting edges is disposed at an angle to the plane of said band slot which is equal to or less than 90*.
 9. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein the plane of said band slot intersects at right angles the plane of at least one of said exterior planar surfaces.
 10. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein said tool head is integrally formed of a single piece of steel material. 